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College Football Playoff Expansion Leaves Broadcast Opportunities on the Sidelines

John Mamola
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College Football Playoff Expansion Leaves Broadcast Opportunities on the Sidelines

A handshake agreement. That’s the term I saw all weekend regarding the College Football Playoff expanding from 12 teams to 24 beginning next year, with ESPN remaining the sole rights holder. There are positives and negatives to the reported deal, and it was refreshing to hear discourse on both sides of the argument across ESPN’s networks this weekend. That’s something college football fans didn’t get with the network’s coverage of the Protect College Sports Act.

However, in the end, ESPN owns all the goods. Again. The network has been the exclusive rights holder since the playoff began just 12 years ago. Fans can debate whether expanding the playoff to 24 teams will diminish the weekly must-win stakes of college football or lead to the elimination of conference championship games for major conferences. One thing remains clear: ESPN controls the entire package. That raises a question: If the sport wants to expand on the field, why can’t it expand how those games are broadcast?

The old saying goes, “Follow the money.” After signing a six-year, $7.8 billion exclusive extension in 2024, ESPN received an exclusive 30-day window to negotiate with the College Football Playoff over expansion. That window expired, but a handshake agreement was reportedly reached in the days that followed.

As a result, FOX Sports, CBS Sports/TNT Sports/Skydance, NBC Sports, and others never had an opportunity to compete for the expanded package during that window. Has ESPN dominated college football coverage for generations? Of course. Is watching College GameDay part of the average fan’s Saturday routine during the fall? Absolutely.

But imagine if the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL handled their biggest events the same way. Imagine if Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady were left out of the NFL’s biggest games. What if Kenny Albert and Eddie Olczyk never got the opportunity to call the Stanley Cup Final?

That’s the kind of opportunity the College Football Playoff could be taking away with this expansion. No Gus Johnson or Joel Klatt calling the sport’s biggest games. No Brad Nessler and Charles Davis entertaining the audience.

Is that good for college football? No, it’s not.

Missed Opportunity

There are still specifics to work out. For instance, ESPN and TNT Sports have a sublicensing agreement that allows TNT Sports to broadcast select College Football Playoff games. That arrangement began in 2024 and currently runs through 2028. Now that Skydance owns both CBS Sports and TNT Sports, could those games move to CBS Sports beginning next year? Possibly. That could create an opportunity for Nessler and Davis to call a playoff game in the near future.

Who knows?

Regardless, what’s puzzling about this deal is the question of inclusion. The expansion will affect conference championships and change the significance of regular-season losses. At the same time, it will give more teams a seat at the table by expanding access to the playoff.

More teams mean more games. So why not more networks? Why not give other television partners an opportunity to help grow the playoff by introducing it to different audiences and offering fans more broadcast options? Instead of allowing ESPN to control who gets what by arranging sub-license agreements. That doesn’t benefit the playoff by only working alongside one broadcast partner.

ESPN is reportedly paying roughly $345 million more for the additional games on top of the approximately $1.3 billion it already pays each season. The network also recoups some of its investment through its sublicensing agreement with TNT Sports and could save money if several conference championship games are eliminated from its schedule.

If the additional rights cost $345 million for roughly six more games, did the College Football Playoff miss an opportunity to spark a bidding war? In all likelihood, would FOX, CBS/TNT/Skydance, CW, or NBC come to the table with more than that figure? More than likely yes, but we’ll never know.

More Games, One Place

Don’t get me wrong. ESPN delivers a quality college football product. I don’t blame the network for paying for the right to negotiate first and taking advantage of that privilege. This isn’t about ESPN. It’s about the concept of inclusion if the playoff wants true expansion on all fronts.

Expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams will give more programs a chance to compete for a national championship. But the sport is missing a golden opportunity to expand something else just as important: the voices bringing those games to life. More teams and games should create more opportunities for the networks and broadcasters who have helped build the sport’s popularity.

Instead, the College Football Playoff appears content to keep those broadcast opportunities largely within the same walls. I’m sorry, but inclusion shouldn’t stop with the teams on the field.

If college football is willing to expand its playoff to give more programs a seat at the table, it should also be willing to broaden its broadcast partnerships. Doing so would give fans a wider selection of voices, perspectives and personalities calling the biggest games of the season.

The sport is expanding its postseason. It’s time to expand the audience’s experience with it.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Could Canada’s Radio Diary Replacement Be the Future of US Radio Ratings?

Dr. Ed Cohen
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Could Canada’s Radio Diary Replacement Be the Future of US Radio Ratings?

I’ve written about how audience measurement is evolving in other countries. Closer to home, our Canadian friends have made a major change in how listening is measured that will take two columns to explain. Stick around, because this could be the future for the US.

In 2016, Canada legalized assisted dying. For someone to consider taking that step, among other rules, the individual must:

  • Have a serious and irremediable (untreatable) illness, disease, or disability
  • Be in an advanced state of irreversible decline in capability

Who Is Numeris?

The Canadian rating service, Numeris (accent on the second syllable), is the largest entity measuring radio and audio in the country. Numeris management and its stakeholders felt that the audio/radio diary met the conditions listed above. As a result, the Canadian radio diary was allowed to die a dignified death after the spring 2026 survey.

The first thing a US reader needs to understand is that Numeris is a Joint Industry Committee, or JIC (pronounced “jick”). It’s a nonprofit organization whose members include broadcasters, agencies, and advertisers. The organization traces its history to 1944, and some of us who have been around a while remember it as BBM. Numeris measures both audio and video.

The new system that replaces the diary, called Radio Local+, is the first in a three-phased audio strategy plan. I’ll review it with the help of Dr. Derrick Gray, Numeris’ chief research and operations officer. I’m sure many of you would have enjoyed eavesdropping on our Zoom. Two guys who can put “Doctor” in front of their names are talking nuts and bolts of audio audience measurement. Howard Stern? Elvis Duran? Bobby Bones? Delilah? Nah, Derrick and Ed talking ratings. Now that’s entertainment!

How Canada Measures Audio Today

Numeris currently measures audio consumption using two different methodologies. It uses PPM and was the first non-US organization to sign up. The meter has been used for years in the five largest Canadian markets, although Numeris will tell you it’s actually six. Montreal receives two reports, one Anglophone and one Francophone, counting as two. The other PPM markets are Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. One notable difference with PPM measurement in Canada is the use of average minute audience rather than average quarter hour. That has been the standard since PPM was introduced as currency.

But PPM didn’t make sense financially in smaller Canadian markets, which remained reliant on a diary-based system. As listening expanded across broadcast and streaming, platforms, and devices, Numeris and its stakeholders recognized that the industry required a system that more accurately reflects how Canadians engage with radio today, while reducing volatility and improving consistency across markets. Beyond that, cost reduction mattered greatly.

Here are the three planned phases:

    1. Stabilizing measurement
    1. Moving to average minute audience, merging radio estimates across multiple methodologies under a single database, and expanding the number of measured markets
    1. Developing provincial and national audio estimates

Why Canada Made the Change

Let’s use this week to understand the motivation behind the changes to local radio measurement in Canada. Next week, I’ll discuss the methodology.

It will come as no surprise to US radio broadcasters that a major goal for Numeris was improving stability. Wild shifts in estimates happen with regularity in both countries, more so today as there are fewer heavy listeners. One or two unusual diaries can move estimates drastically. As Derrick put it, “(the Canadian radio industry) needed something that can grow with them and move forward. Audio listening and streaming is one of those things, similar to set-top box data with video, that gives you that stability, that big data, that census approach.”

Further, costs were increasing. Much like here, diary response rates were declining. The more households you must contact, the greater the expense, not to mention the loss of survey quality. COVID added even more pressure to response rates.

At the same time, commercial radio in Canada has experienced revenue declines, just like US commercial radio. According to a Statistics Canada item released on my birthday this year (August 19), the industry had 2025 revenues of C$1.5 billion and a net profit of C$28 million. For “private stations” (leaving out CBC/SRC Radio and other public broadcasters that accept advertising), total revenue was just C$1.0 billion, down 36% from 2013, not accounting for inflation. Costs had to be reduced, including for ratings.

What Radio Local+ Changes

Numeris introduced an online diary in 2016 and used both paper and online until retiring the paper diary during COVID. The online radio diary, referred to colloquially as “ORD” (not O’Hare Airport in Chicago), became Numeris’ only diary for collecting listening information.

Through spring 2026, Numeris measured its 22 diary markets with ORD. Each market received two reports a year using the traditional average quarter-hour metric. However, another difference from the US was the use of a 48-week average rather than a standalone 12-week report. Radio Local+ offers 13-week reports, the first of which will be delivered in December.

Radio Local+ is part of Phase 1 of the strategy and is a new hybrid audience measurement system that combines survey and panel data with streaming information from participating broadcasters and advanced modelling. In practical terms, it is designed to solve several of the diary’s biggest problems. It reduces reliance on individual diary responses, which can cause significant shifts in estimates, and adds streaming information to capture listening that the diary system was not built to measure consistently. Survey and panel data maintain the connection to individuals, while advanced modelling combines the inputs into more stable audience estimates.

Another part of Phase 1 is determining ways to stabilize PPM estimates. Phase 2 includes moving to average minute audience as well as impressions in non-PPM markets, something the old system could not accommodate. Phase 3 will see Numeris develop provincial and national audio estimates. Here, we have Nielsen’s Nationwide for national estimates, but Canada has no equivalent. The assumption is that national data will highlight radio’s massive audience and reach.

What Comes Next

Of course, not everyone is happy with the changes. But as Derrick noted, based on feedback from Numeris’ Audio Executive and Research Advisory Committees, “The general consensus is this is not perfect, but it’s far better than what we currently have.”

And, as with any major measurement evolution, the first release of Radio Local+ is not intended to be the final word. Numeris expects to refine the model over time, using industry feedback and ongoing validation to continue improving the service as audio consumption evolves.

It’s a bold move on the part of Canadian radio and audio. The next step is to examine the nuts and bolts.

Let’s meet again next week.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Chuck Damico: Country Radio Has an Energy That Rock Lost

David Hill
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Chuck Damico: Country Radio Has an Energy That Rock Lost


Chuck Damico had exactly one job for one year. He still talks about it like a vacation.

“For one glorious year, I think it was 2024, I had one job,” Damico said. “Oh my God! What a magical time that was. That was just PD of MMR. That was pretty awesome to have the luxury of focus.”

The luxury didn’t last. A year later, Beasley handed him 102.9 WMGK. Then, this May, the company added Country 92.5 XTU following the retirement of longtime Brand Manager and Program Director Mark “Razz” Radziewicz. Today, Damico programs a heritage rock station, a classic rock institution and one of country radio’s biggest brands — all from the same building.

For a rock lifer, the cowboy hat might look like an odd fit. However, Damico has settled into the boots quickly.

Enrolled for One Class

Damico’s radio story starts the way plenty of them do — with a kid, a recorder and a stack of tapes. He made goofy interview tapes as a child, asking questions and answering them with lines from songs recorded off the radio. He also collected nearly every audio format imaginable.

“I have kind of an affinity for all the different mediums,” Damico said. “Eight tracks and mini discs and DAT tapes. I have carts at home. Anything that you can play sound off of, I just am fascinated with.”

After high school, however, he took a job with an engineering company. Within a few years, the company was selling off and cashing out. That forced some soul searching.

“I really realized that what helped me get through my workday was radio,” he said. “So that’s when I really decided to pursue it. I called WMMR, and they told me you got to be a college intern, and I said, ‘What’s that?’ And then they explained it to me, and the next day I drove to a community college and I enrolled for one class just so I could become an intern at MMR.”

That was 1994. He hasn’t left the building since.

The 29-Year Job Interview

Officially, Damico interned one day a week. Unofficially, he showed up three or four. He made hook tapes, ran music research, filed CDs, opened mail, stuffed prize bins and gassed up the station vehicles.

“I just really tried to be versatile,” Damico said. “I tried to be as useful to as many departments as possible, and then I would just go wherever the opportunity was. I wasn’t fixated on being on the air, although I did get to do that a bunch at a couple different places. I just tried to be ready for whatever came next.”

That versatility carried him through commercial production, imaging, music scheduling and eventually the APD chair at WMMR. Along the way, he programmed 95.7 BEN-FM for nine years and then sports talk 97.5 The Fanatic for three and a half more — all while remaining WMMR’s assistant PD. When Bill Weston retired at the end of 2023, Damico finally got the top job, calling it the completion of his “29-year job interview” at the time.

Notably, the hallways have changed more than he has. When Greater Media bought the station in 1997, Damico personally boxed up the music library and moved it from Center City to the cluster’s current home. The building has since been redesigned three or four times. Yet when everyone moved out for the last rebuild, he was the only one to move back into the exact same spot.

“I’m landlocked in the building,” he laughed. “There have been times when it’s been snowing for six hours and nobody told me. It could be any time, any day, like being in a casino.”

Wearing the Cowboy Hat

Today, Damico is essentially PD and MD of both WMMR and XTU. He makes the programming decisions, builds the music, schedules the logs and takes the calls. Meanwhile, at WMGK, he works from a much higher altitude — promotions, weekends, specialty programming, contesting and branding — while operations lead, Tony Harris, handles day-to-day execution.

What makes the load manageable at WMMR and XTU is staffing. Both are union shops, and those contracts protect positions that have vanished elsewhere.

“I have a five-person morning show on MMR. I have a four-person morning show on XTU,” Damico said. “I have full-time live and local midday and afternoon on both stations. I love the term on-air talent, of course, but I also really love the term off-air talent — production people, promotion people, traffic, continuity, sales, everything. I can delegate and hand off a lot of things to a lot of really talented, dedicated people at both places, and that’s what really helps both radio stations be successful.”

Lifestyle Brands With an Active Core

On paper, a heritage rocker and a country giant look like an odd couple. Damico sees them as siblings.

“They’re both what I would call lifestyle brands of the city, not unlike a sports team,” he said. “MMR is just a part of the fabric of the city. It’s part of people’s social identity. People know around Thanksgiving or Christmas that they’re home because they can tune in and listen to MMR. XTU is very similar in the sense that for the country music fan and the country music community, it’s the same thing. And it’s because the shows are local, the hosts are local, the events are all locally focused.”

By contrast, he points to stations where radio is a utility — something listeners flip on at work like the lights. XTU and WMMR, he says, are the opposite.

“They want to know what’s happening with the music. They want to know what’s going on in the city,” Damico said. “They feel connected to the host, like they’re personal friends.”

WMGK shares that DNA through decades of classic rock credibility built by voices like John DeBella, Debbie Calton, Andre Gardner and Ray Koob. So, is there a secret to activating that core across all three?

“That is the secret. You have to be legitimate,” Damico said. “You can’t be phony. It’s a no BS town, and they can smell it a mile away. You have to be authentic and honest and real and sincere and every other word in the thesaurus for what all that means.”

For proof of how hard XTU’s audience shows up, Damico points to the station’s summer anniversary show. Years ago, it was free, driven by ticket giveaways and the usual redemption guessing game.

“If the venue holds 15,000, do you give out 20, hoping 14 show up?” he said. “Well, they had to stop making it a free show because the redemption rate was so high that it became an issue. It became unpredictable, and the reciprocation from the audience was so massive that they had to rethink the model completely.”

That’s not a problem most programmers get to have.

Country’s Open Door

For Damico, learning a new format this deep into his career has been a jolt of energy. The community, the artists, the labels and management are all invested in radio’s success. And they have something he hadn’t seen in a while.

“We used to call them budgets,” he said. “They’re investing in the artists, they’re investing in the events, the experiences, the value of a program director and radio staff getting to know their artists well by seeing them live. It’s just an energy that I haven’t felt for a long time. It’s really, really exciting to be a part of something like that.”

That accessibility stands out most. In other formats, he says, younger acts can be standoffish, and getting to the artist means cutting through promoters and managers.

“The whole trick is you just have to get to the band,” Damico said. “If I need a country artist to call the morning show tomorrow, it’s relatively easy. I think a lot of other formats, and a lot of other businesses for that matter, could probably learn a lot from how the country radio and country music community operates and supports each other.”

Still, he isn’t starry-eyed. Damico believes some of country’s promotional money gets spent on gimmicks that don’t move the needle. His advice to the rest of the industry costs nothing at all.

“Cut back the layers a little bit,” he said. “Have some accessibility. Build some enthusiasm. You don’t have to spend money.”

Thirty-two years after enrolling in one community college class, Damico is still learning — and Philadelphia’s country fans are reaping the benefits.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

iHeartRadio’s Fiesta Latina 2026 Draws Latin Music’s Biggest Stars to Miami

Michael Krantz
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iHeartRadio’s Fiesta Latina 2026 Draws Latin Music’s Biggest Stars to Miami

Latin music’s biggest names took over Downtown Miami for Fiesta Latina 2026. The iHeartRadio concert delivered surprise guests, new music and a major award.

What We Know: iHeartLatino president and chief creative officer Enrique Santos and 1993 Miss Universe winner Dayanara Torres hosted the October 17 show at the Kaseya Center. The lineup spanned many genres. Alleh opened with tropical dance music, and then Greeicy performed pop songs from her new album, CANDELA. She also ended her set with a salsa-inspired routine. Rapper Myke Towers followed with hits like “La Falda,” while Eladio Carrión debuted new music. Farruko, however, stole the show with reggaeton hits. He brought out Lunay, Randy and Tito El Bambino, plus bachata singer Dalvin. Later, Santos honored Lin-Manuel Miranda with the Corazón Latino Award.

What They Said: “Thank you, iHeart. I’m proud to be Puerto Rican. I’m proud to be Latino.” –Lin-Manuel Miranda

What Remains Unclear: iHeartMedia hasn’t said how much the concert will help its radio business. Specifically, it’s unclear whether the show’s streaming reach and arena crowd will turn into daily listeners on local stations. Likewise, the company hasn’t shared attendance, ratings or revenue figures. Without those numbers, the event’s true impact is hard to measure.

What It Means: In an increasingly automated media landscape, live flagship events prove that audiences still crave authentic human connection and cultural identity. Radio personalities acting as trusted curators and emcees bridge the gap between global Latin superstars and daily listeners. Additionally, Latin music is one of the fastest-growing genres in global revenue. By anchoring a major national event around Latin artists and pairing chart-topping headliners with emerging urban and regional talent, radio networks secure a strong foothold in a rapidly growing music market.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Inventory Isn’t Innovation: Radio’s Revenue Problem

Keith Cunningham
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Inventory Isn’t Innovation: Radio’s Revenue Problem

Did you hear? McDonald’s is becoming a new media company.

It’s true: Ronald and Grimace are testing third-party advertising (let’s call them “pre-rolls”) on digital drive-thru boards at 450 company-owned restaurants.

Meanwhile, some radio clusters are still focused on how the 20-minutes-late traffic report can carry a third sponsor.

When the burger company is creating new media inventory, it’s time to move faster and pay closer attention.

Inventory Isn’t Innovation

I’m all for making as much money as possible. Radio has been great at it for decades. But growing revenue today requires more than selling add-on pieces to what radio already has.

When everything has a sponsor or adjacency, when spot banks are bonused, or when weather and traffic have an intro, middle and outro — that’s inventory bloat. “Tacking on” is incremental growth at best, and if any of it is added value or low dough, the problem gets worse.

I know revenue growth is harder than it looks. But it’s clear we must look at it differently. People across the industry are grinding through smaller staffs, fewer resources and higher expectations, yet they’re using the same playbook. That’s more of a problem than podcasts or streams. And here’s what won’t significantly change the trajectory:

  • Longer stopsets
  • Incompatible naming rights
  • A new AE with a failed client list
  • Expecting higher ratings to be an auto-lift
  • Asking advertisers to pay more for something they’ve bought for years
  • Treating digital revenue like terrestrial inventory on another screen
  • Doing last year’s plan with fewer people

Where the Puck Already Went

The puck went to digital years ago. But that doesn’t mean duplicating radio’s existing revenue model on another platform.

So where are we, exactly? Digital doesn’t simply mean stopsets, logos on graphics or disjointed naming rights on anything reaching a stream or screen. That’s the old model, and it’s not what advertisers are now seeking.

Build It Together

Revenue by design begins before the programming is built. It starts with an opportunity, followed by designing something both the audience and the advertiser will value.

Sales can’t just be given finished programming and then told to go find a sponsor. Programming can’t just keep being handed a name and claim and told to go make it fit.

Get everyone in the room earlier, especially the talent. “Crazy Larry” in the afternoon knows what will work on his show better than anyone else. Especially these days, when AEs, GMs and PDs are also handling duties on 19 other stations.

Build something listeners will anticipate and advertisers want to be a part of. Create social and digital extensions. Give the audience a way to participate. Identify natural advertiser lanes and make the results measurable.

That’s revenue by design. It’s not a cram-down, a round peg forced into a square hole or the third different sponsor inside “Mandatory Metallica.”

I rarely mention my Black Box Group work outside this column, but this is today’s reality. It’s how I spend most of my week — creating revenue opportunities through programming or content design. And it’s also how podcasters and influencers built their businesses without stopsets, Nielsen, towers, transmitters or decades of radio relationships.

It’s all doable for radio. It is. But it’s passing many by.

Strong Integrations

The strongest integrations don’t sound stapled to a show — they feel like part of it. The audience gets something worth hearing. Talent gets something they like doing. The advertiser gets compatibility and more than a logo. Sales gets something easily renewable. And radio gets new revenue without making the product worse.

That last part is important. Revenue by design doesn’t put the advertiser before the audience. It identifies the opportunity, then builds something people will want and advertisers will value and fight for.

McDonald’s is turning its drive-thru into a media network. Will the Happy Meal kids like watching an ad after they order? Who knows? This experiment may end up being inventory bloat of its own. But it’s the innovative thinking that is worth applauding. McDonald’s is looking beyond burgers and beyond putting a random logo on the Filet-O-Fish box. It’s treating its reach, customer relationships and drive-thrus as an entirely new revenue stream. It’s very smart, actually.

Radio needs a new attack strategy for revenue. It’s not about stopsets, adjacencies, name and claims or apps. Let’s stop bolting revenue onto programming and build programming that creates revenue … by design.

Thanks for reading. Today’s column is powered by Uncle Randy’s Bail Bonds, Taxidermy & Gender-Reveal Cannons. Get ’em before they’re gone.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

How Grant McHill Built 101 KXL’s Marconi Radio Awards Submission

Garrett Searight
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How Grant McHill Built 101 KXL’s Marconi Radio Awards Submission

101 KXL has earned national recognition. The Portland news/talk station is a nominee for News/Talk Station of the Year at the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards. Program Director Grant McHill couldn’t be more excited.

Notably, 101 KXL will compete against a strong field of stations. Also nominated are KFI-AM 640, 700 WLW, 95.5 WSB, and 102.5 The Bone.

Significantly, the nomination arrives in Grant McHill’s first year as the station’s Program Director.

Celebrating The News

“That was a good day,” said McHill. “I was working on something at my desk when our operations manager, Ross McLeod, came over and tapped me on the shoulder. He said, ‘Congrats, you guys are a Marconi nominee.’ We were both fired up, and as my co-anchor said, we gave bro hugs. We’re excited and honored. It’s a culmination of 99 years of serving Portland, and to be honored this year, we’re beyond excited and grateful and can’t wait to see what happens on Tuesday.”

Naturally, that recognition from industry peers means a great deal to McHill. After all, he’s spent more than 20 years in radio.

“It’s one of the greatest honors for us in this business to hear from our peers and to be nominated, and I’m extremely grateful for it,” the 101 KXL Program Director stated. “In my 20-plus years of radio, I’ve known what good KXL does here in Portland and in Oregon. To see that recognized on the national level is really gratifying. I really appreciate all the support, and hopefully we can continue to improve.”

Crafting The Submission

Building the submission took thoughtful planning. McHill wanted the package to highlight the full scope of what the station does.

“The challenge for me was finding content that really shows what we do here at KXL,” said McHill. “That’s being a voice for the community. I was looking for the whole scope of what KXL covers, not just the heavy news. We had stories about the big famous mall in Portland closing and the last time kids can see Santa there. I was trying to find a way to show that KXL is the voice and the conscience of Portland. To be honest with you, I thought it was a fun challenge.”

Next, McHill turned to his reporters for help. Their input shaped the final package.

“I challenged all my reporters to send me a story that really captivated them and moved them,” McHill shared. “It didn’t have to be their favorite story or the most important one. After poring through all of those, I picked what I could and put together the package. I wouldn’t call it nervousness, but I was hopeful. I was confident that we have a product that’s worthy of this.”

Always Searching For Standout Stories

Of course, the work doesn’t start when the submission process begins. Instead, McHill keeps award-worthy content in mind year-round.

“I always have it in the back of my mind,” the 101 KXL Program Director stated. “Almost every day, I think about what we did well today. I do promos and imaging every day, some of our best stuff.

“We have an awards folder, and I’ll throw stuff in there. For any awards we submit for, I always ask the team what they think were some of our best stories this year. It’s a real team effort, and the hard part was breaking down everything I thought was worthy of adding to the package.”

A First-Year Milestone

Still, McHill isn’t taking the spotlight for himself. Instead, he’s crediting the people around him, from the station’s local staff to company leadership.

“I can’t take much credit for that,” said McHill. “It’s really a team effort, all the way up from Jeff Warshaw and Keith Dakin at Connoisseur to my local team here. I have to give a shout-out to Ross McLeod. He came in about a year and a half ago. I can’t be more grateful for what he’s done for me and for KXL. He gave me the confidence to go for it and really helped hone the package. It’s a real team effort, so I can’t take credit for the first year here. I really appreciate my team and the support from above me. Hopefully this is the first of many to come.”

Now, the wait is nearly over. The 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards are scheduled for Tuesday, October 20th at The Edison Ballroom in New York in advance of the 2026 NAB Show New York.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why Radio Pros Miss the Good Old Days

Bethany Kent
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Why Radio Pros Miss the Good Old Days

Radio gets into your bones. After nearly 20 years with one company, a good friend recently made the decision to leave radio and pursue a career outside of the industry. Seeing her be nostalgic made me feel nostalgic and had me thinking about the things I still miss in small, specific ways.

Lately, I notice something else too. Even people who work in radio full time say the same thing. It is not quite what it used to be.

The Energy of a Station Coming Alive

Walking into a station on a Monday morning once had its own rhythm. Station vehicles lined the parking lot after a weekend full of events. Listeners stood at the front desk picking up prizes. Once inside, you might run into news producers scrambling between studios. Meanwhile, music played down every hallway from the programmers’ offices. I miss that buzz more than I expected.

That energy also taught me a lesson. Great radio sounds effortless because a team prepared for it. In other words, prep is the real show. Listeners hear the magic, but the work happens long before the mic goes live. Worker bees behind the scenes each did their part, then came together for a single mission.

The People Behind the Mic

Above all, I miss the people. Radio is a team sport. Hosts, producers, promotions staff, programmers, and sales all pulled the same rope. I have met some of my all-time favorite weirdos in radio. A radio station staff is like The Muppets, a mishmash of characters who play off each other wonderfully. Early mornings and late nights, often in the same day, create a special bond.

Moreover, working that closely teaches you how much credit matters. Share a win out loud, and your team remembers it. Likewise, treat the intern like a future boss. In this industry, careers move in circles.

The Controlled Chaos of Event Day

Leading the Summer Jam team for six years taught me how fast a plan can change. Artists ran late. Weather could turn quickly. Something always broke.

At HOT 97 Summer Jam in 2019, Cardi B was about to take the stage just before 10 p.m. Then lightning struck in the area. Leadership from the station and MetLife Stadium had to ask almost 50,000 Hip Hop fans to leave their seats and shelter in the concourse. It was a tense moment that could have gone awry. Let me tell you, that early summer storm came through strong and fast.

I was upstairs checking on the suites with guests DJ Buck, DJ Mijo, and Remy Ma. I credit our Market President, Charlie Morgan, and our incredible staff for how flawlessly the crowd exited and returned. Many of that 2019 HOT 97 team had been together for a handful of years. The pandemic and sale of the station to MediaCo certainly changed things. But Summer Jam 2019 was peak for my HOT 97 experience, and I will always be nostalgic for it. That staff’s quick communication on social media, on stage, and throughout the building made the difference. The storm passed, Cardi B took the stage, nailed her performance, and the crowd danced at their now soggy seats.

I miss that adrenaline. The quick decision making. Calm leadership gets a team through the storm and the details matter. Listeners never see the checklists, yet they feel the result, especially when something unexpected happens. In radio more than anywhere else, you must expect the unexpected.

The Instant Connection With Listeners

Few jobs let you hear from your audience in real time. Back in the day, it was when a phone line lit up. Or a fan shouted across a parking lot while you sat in the station vehicle. Today, someone can comment within seconds on your latest social post. Either way, the connection is instant. It is a shared love of music, sports, news, community, etc. that keeps your audience coming back.

I know that instant feedback can also be frustrating. Everyone’s a critic until they’re in the seat. But I dare say, I even miss that because how many businesses can you have such a wide group of friends who are admittedly sometimes more like frenemies, but who all share such a strong sense of community?

The Good Old Days Are Not Just a Memory

Here is the part that surprises people. You do not have to leave radio to miss it. Friends who still work in the business tell me the same thing. The job feels different now.

For one thing, the pace has changed. Teams are leaner, and everyone wears more hats. As a result, there is less time for the hallway banter and the long brainstorms that once sparked our best ideas. Similarly, the industry moves faster than ever. New platforms and new metrics demand attention every week.

Nostalgia can be unfair, of course. Radio always had stress and tight budgets. However, the sense of a station as a family feels harder to find today. Many of us miss that feeling even while sitting in the building.

The Lessons That Outlast the Job

Radio also taught me how to handle change. A layoff hurts, but it is not a verdict on your talent. Titles come and go. Skills and relationships stay with you.

Therefore, keep your network warm before you need it. Say yes to side doors, too. Freelance projects and one-off events often lead to the next chapter.

What Radio Still Gives Us

Radio has changed, and it will keep changing. Even so, the heart of it still beats. Local connection, trust, and showing up for listeners still matter.

As for my friend, I could not be prouder of her. Leaving a place you love takes courage. Still, she carries the best of radio with her. She knows how to work a team, think fast, and treat people well. Those skills travel anywhere.

In fact, that may be radio’s greatest gift. It teaches you things the industry cannot take back, even when you leave it. Her next chapter will be better for what these years gave her. Mine has been, too.

Finally, if you work in radio today, enjoy the small moments. Savor the shared wins and the last-minute fixes. They feel routine right now, but you will miss them later. Then call an old radio friend, because they miss it too.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

CBS News Supreme Court Reporter Jan Crawford Apologizes For Abdul El-Sayed Post

Michael Krantz
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CBS News Supreme Court Reporter Jan Crawford Apologizes For Abdul El-Sayed Post

CBS News’ Jan Crawford has deleted a post about Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. She apologized, saying it violated the network’s standards.

What We Know: Crawford, who covers the Supreme Court and joined the network in 2009, shared a video from a Saturday night town hall in Michigan. During the event, a young man asked the Democratic Senate candidate whether he’d disavow the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed answered briefly, then spoke for roughly three minutes about Americans’ constitutional right to religious freedom. Crawford argued that the lengthy reply proved the questioner’s point, and she called it a “self own.” Many on social media, however, praised the candidate’s answer. Backlash followed quickly, and By Sunday afternoon, Crawford had removed the post.

What They Said: “I deleted that tweet because it was a violation of CBS News standards.” – Jan Crawford

What’s at Stake: Crawford covers the Supreme Court, a beat that depends on audiences trusting her to treat every side fairly. A single post could change how viewers and sources see her work. Meanwhile, CBS News faces a credibility test. The network is trying to build momentum, with CBS Evening News holding above 4 million viewers for two straight weeks, but internal disputes could undercut that progress. Staff morale is also in play, since some employees reportedly feel uneasy about editorial direction. Finally, the Michigan Senate race adds political weight. If voters think CBS tilts its coverage of El-Sayed, the network could lose trust across the political spectrum.

What Remains Unclear: CBS News declined to make executives available for comment, so it’s unclear whether the network will discipline Crawford. Moreover, nobody has said if she plans to stay at the division. Her future may also hinge on how leadership defines acceptable commentary, since the company’s standards appear to be shifting.

What it Means: The episode shows how much the line between reporting and opinion has blurred in TV news. Traditionally, networks expected correspondents to stay neutral. Now, however, CBS News is embracing more commentary under editor in chief Bari Weiss. As a result, Crawford’s case puts the network’s standards in the spotlight. Supporters of looser rules say audiences already sense reporters’ leanings, so openness is more honest. Critics counter that a Supreme Court correspondent needs viewers to trust her fairness. Meanwhile, staff disputes over a 60 Minutes report and editing directives add pressure. Ultimately, how CBS handles this case will signal where it draws the line.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Monday Night Football Viewership Hits Record Five-Week Start in ESPN Era

Michael Krantz
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Monday Night Football Viewership Hits Record Five-Week Start in ESPN Era

Bills-Rams delivered big for ESPN on Monday night. In fact, the overtime thriller averaged 19.8 million viewers and fueled the strongest five-week start of the ESPN era.

What We Know: The October 12th matchup featured the NFL’s two most recent MVPs. Additionally, it aired on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, NFL Network and ESPN Deportes. As a result, it ranks as the second most-watched Week 5 game of the ESPN era. Only last season’s Chiefs-Jaguars matchup drew more.

Overall, Monday Night Football is averaging 19.3 million viewers through five weeks. That figure tops every season at this point since 2006. Furthermore, it marks a 16% jump from 2025.

Meanwhile, the alternate telecasts added more than 1.1 million viewers. Those included Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli on ESPN2. They also included the season premiere of Monday Night Football Playbook with Next Gen Stats on NFL Network.

What the Data Says:

Metric2026 Viewers2025 ViewersChangePeriodSource / Notes
MNF season average19.3M16.6M*+16%2026 through Week 5 vs. 2025ESPN
Bills vs. Rams19.8M——Week 5, 2026ESPN / ABC and other networks
Chiefs vs. Jaguars—22.3M-11.2%Week 5, 2025Previous year’s Week 5 matchup
Alternate broadcasts combined1.1M+——Week 5, 2026ManningCast + Playbook

*Estimated baseline, not an official published figure.

By comparison, the 2025 Week 5 Chiefs-Jaguars game drew 22.3 million viewers. In contrast, Bills-Rams drew 19.8 million in 2026. That works out to a decline of about 11% for the individual Week 5 matchup.

What Remains Unclear: The Network didn’t say whether the 1.1 million alternate-telecast viewers count toward the 19.8 million figure. Likewise, the release doesn’t explain how last year’s numbers compare, since Monday Night Football now reaches more outlets. In addition, it’s unclear how much the overtime finish boosted the audience. Finally, it’s still too early to know whether the pace can last through the rest of the season.

What It Means: The ratings arrive at a pivotal moment for ESPN and the NFL. After all, the Worldwide Leader in Sports now owns NFL Network, and the league holds a 10% stake in the company. In turn, strong audiences benefit both sides. The league can’t opt out of its current deals until after 2029, or 2030 for ESPN. These numbers give the league leverage whenever negotiations begin. Of course, five weeks is a small sample. Still, the early results suggest live football remains one of media’s most reliable mass audiences.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

The Kid Mero, Kaz, Peter Rosenberg Blast HOT 97 Management

Jason Barrett
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The Kid Mero, Kaz, Peter Rosenberg Blast HOT 97 Management

The Kid Mero, Kaz, and Peter Rosenberg have publicly criticized HOT 97 management as questions grow about the New York hip-hop radio station’s leadership, employee compensation, and reported layoffs. Mero ripped HOT 97 executives during a recent livestream. Kaz described a miserable workplace experience, and former morning host Peter Rosenberg took aim at owner MediaCo for routinely cutting staff.

What We Know: Mero blasted HOT 97 execs during a recent livestream alongside co-host Kaz. The show’s October 14th stream is no longer available on the station’s YouTube channel. Independent content creators though captured it before it was removed. An example is available down below.

Mero said contributors are frustrated with HOT 97 management for not paying them. Rumors are rampant that the radio station is in the midst of layoffs. Those reports remain unconfirmed at this time. MediaCo has yet to address them.

Mero took over the station’s morning slot after Ebro in the Morning ended in December. Since then, MediaCo has touted the show’s growth, including a rise to number three in New York earlier this year. However, Mero painted a different picture behind the scenes. He questioned the value of executives earning far more than on-air talent. The New York City morning host also urged creators to stay independent advising them to always have a parachute.

Kaz backed him up. He claimed the show has outperformed its chief competition in the ratings over the past three months. He also said he understands the frustrations voiced by Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez and Rosenberg.

Meanwhile, The Jasmine Brand captured a response from Rosenberg on social media. He said several longtime DJs are no longer on the station, including DJ Drewski, Bobby Konders and Jabba. Rosenberg also traced the cuts back to the cancellation of his own show, which pushed him, Darden and Stylez into independent media. The former morning show previously warned that future cuts would occur at the radio station.

Not everyone is on board with the hosts, though. DJ Akademiks, who has clashed with both Mero and Rosenberg, offered to take over mornings for $5 million if HOT 97 fires Mero.

What They Said: “There’s a guy who gets paid two more zeroes than you, and you’re like, what does this guy even do? That’s a question I find myself asking a lot. Having a job requires something called payments. Adequate payment.” – Mero

“They are trying to make this station work, and the only thing they’ve done as a company is fire people. Remove, remove, remove. Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut. First cut fat, then cut meat, now cut into the bone.” – Peter Rosenberg

“This is the worst place I have ever worked in my life. It’s an awful situation that we’re in right now. It hasn’t been a fun few months here. We love HOT 97 and it sucks what it’s become.” – Kaz

What Remains Unclear: Mero and Kaz’s future with the radio station could be in jeopardy. Whether they wanted that to be the case or not is unknown. Should they leave or the station force a change, questions will follow regarding HOT 97’s morning show direction. MediaCo, the station’s owners have not yet publicly addressed the remarks.

What It Means: Public criticism from a station’s morning team on the outlet’s own YouTube channel is rare. When former stars pile on, the damage multiplies. If HOT 97 isn’t paying employees, as Mero suggested, the station could struggle to retain staff. As a result, Hot 97 faces growing questions about its leadership and direction.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

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